reviews

​Eric Corne (from the album Happy Songs for the Apocalypse available on Forty Below Records)Blues stokes the backbeat as Eric Corne introduces Happy Songs for the Apocalypse, his latest release. Eric Corne packs a suitcase full of Roots and Americana for his trip down the tracks of Happy Songs for the Apocalypse, making sure to include touches of Folk, Alt Country, and Rock’n’Roll as accessories. Regional sounds drift as “Short Wave Preachers” dials in Cajun and Celtic Folk while heavy steps move in time to the sad beat of “Ashen Heart” and southern rock strides across “Pull String to Inflate” as Eric Corne takes a stand on a Little-Feat inspired, horn-fueled groove for “Locomotion”.

Having his name on the front of the album cover brings the songwriting and vocals of Eric Corne to center stage. The founder and president of Forty Below Records Eric Corne has produced artists for the label releases (John Mayall, Sam Morrow) as well as working on recordings from a diverse group of artists including Lucinda Williams, C.J. Chenier, Kim Deal (The Pixies), Edgar Winter, Joe Walsh, Nancy Wilson (Heart), and Joe Bonnamassa among others. Walter Trout claims a shotgun spot for his guitar as he and Eric Corne hop into the front seat to drive “Ridin’ with Lady Luck”. Happy Songs for the Apocalypse walks the “Trail Full of Tears” dirge on slow footfalls, wraps Country Folk around “Mad World”, stringing notes and beats together to light “Forbidden Town” while Eric Corne picks out acoustic guitar notes to accent “The Gilded Age” and uses thick reverb to cushion the lessons of “History Repeats”.